Planned Obsolescence & Insatiable American Consumerism
by Seth Hepler
America faces a large problem when it comes to our consumer mentality. As a sustainability issue, the sheer amount of products that we are convinced we need is larger than any other nation in the world. In fact, our love of stuff is one of the largest driving factors for China’s economic growth while we fill American landfills with cheap , worn-out products. In 2005 America crossed the threshold of more television sets per household than people. This means that we physically could not watch all the televisions that we have purchased even if every person in our family has their own. Even with an economic recession and potential double dip, the american consumerism mentality still remains strong. The fuel for our consumeristic nature is an endless stream of new products, new goods, and an advertisement laced society always pushing products with planned obsolescence.
Large companies rely on absurd expectations for pushing products and making a product. They generate The very idea of replacing your television or car every year should be a ridiculous notion but its actually commonplace thinking. Limited warranties have become commonplace. The notion that something could have a lifetime warranty is becoming very uncommon. Old products are sold as new with only slight cosmetic changes designed to convince the public their model is outdated and unfashionable.
Planned obsolescence is a business strategy in which the obsolescence of a product is planned and built into it from conception. This is done so that in the future the consumer feels a need to purchase new products and services that the manufacturer brings out as replacements for the old ones. Few companies are building consumer goods to last. Often, as with software, yearly models only communicate with older versions, but not newer versions; thus compelling people to purchase every year. The economist puts it nicely saying “it is as if every generation of children came into the world speaking a completely different language than their parents. While they can understand their parents, their parents cannot understand them.
There is a way though to stop the flood. Choices by many high profile companies to defy the industry standard of building replaceable products have as a result, given consumers a choice when it comes to buying. The majority of these examples are much pricier, but the trade-off comes from getting a longer lifespan per product. Patek Philippe, a swiss watch maker, markets their watches as an investment for future generations. They also provide services and restorations to all of the watches they have ever created, going back to 1839. As technology changes and some camera companies update their lines several times a year, Hasselblad keeps their updates to a minimum, and when technology allows them to jump in mega-pixels, they will simply produce a new camera back that you can buy. That back snaps on to every camera body that has been made for line going back half a century to film cameras. Their logic is “only replace the parts of the product that need replacing; hence, make the camera modular. If more consumers choose to support companies and product ideas that defy the industry leading ideas of planned obsolescence then we might begin to see better designed and longer lasting material goods flowing down the pipeline. The problem of America’s insatiable consumeristic nature is propping up the economy of production that is currently way outside of a level appropriate for our population. Education on the topic, and a greater desire for quality goods and services can do a lot to reduce the flow of inexpensive, but shoddy products flooding the market these days. Walmart syndrome is going to be hard to put down, but ironically the tools are in place to educate Americans on a smarter way to live and consume; just put the message on television. And, although you may not be buying a Rolls Royce, there is nothing wrong with purchasing something you think will have more value as an antique.
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Last Year’s Model
Planned Obsolescence & Insatiable American Consumerism
by Seth Hepler
America faces a large problem when it comes to our consumer mentality. As a sustainability issue, the sheer amount of products that we are convinced we need is larger than any other nation in the world. In fact, our love of stuff is one of the largest driving factors for China’s economic growth while we fill American landfills with cheap , worn-out products. In 2005 America crossed the threshold of more television sets per household than people. This means that we physically could not watch all the televisions that we have purchased even if every person in our family has their own. Even with an economic recession and potential double dip, the american consumerism mentality still remains strong. The fuel for our consumeristic nature is an endless stream of new products, new goods, and an advertisement laced society always pushing products with planned obsolescence.
Large companies rely on absurd expectations for pushing products and making a product. They generate The very idea of replacing your television or car every year should be a ridiculous notion but its actually commonplace thinking. Limited warranties have become commonplace. The notion that something could have a lifetime warranty is becoming very uncommon. Old products are sold as new with only slight cosmetic changes designed to convince the public their model is outdated and unfashionable.
Planned obsolescence is a business strategy in which the obsolescence of a product is planned and built into it from conception. This is done so that in the future the consumer feels a need to purchase new products and services that the manufacturer brings out as replacements for the old ones. Few companies are building consumer goods to last. Often, as with software, yearly models only communicate with older versions, but not newer versions; thus compelling people to purchase every year. The economist puts it nicely saying “it is as if every generation of children came into the world speaking a completely different language than their parents. While they can understand their parents, their parents cannot understand them.
There is a way though to stop the flood. Choices by many high profile companies to defy the industry standard of building replaceable products have as a result, given consumers a choice when it comes to buying. The majority of these examples are much pricier, but the trade-off comes from getting a longer lifespan per product. Patek Philippe, a swiss watch maker, markets their watches as an investment for future generations. They also provide services and restorations to all of the watches they have ever created, going back to 1839. As technology changes and some camera companies update their lines several times a year, Hasselblad keeps their updates to a minimum, and when technology allows them to jump in mega-pixels, they will simply produce a new camera back that you can buy. That back snaps on to every camera body that has been made for line going back half a century to film cameras. Their logic is “only replace the parts of the product that need replacing; hence, make the camera modular. If more consumers choose to support companies and product ideas that defy the industry leading ideas of planned obsolescence then we might begin to see better designed and longer lasting material goods flowing down the pipeline. The problem of America’s insatiable consumeristic nature is propping up the economy of production that is currently way outside of a level appropriate for our population. Education on the topic, and a greater desire for quality goods and services can do a lot to reduce the flow of inexpensive, but shoddy products flooding the market these days. Walmart syndrome is going to be hard to put down, but ironically the tools are in place to educate Americans on a smarter way to live and consume; just put the message on television. And, although you may not be buying a Rolls Royce, there is nothing wrong with purchasing something you think will have more value as an antique.
Research
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-09-21-homes-tv_x.htm
http://www.economist.com/node/13354332
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence
Collage
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_K-33hXu9rCk/TPI1tByslZI/AAAAAAAAAbs/2QwiLtre9Lk/s1600/black-friday-electronics.bmp
http://www.hasselbladusa.com/
http://www.patek.com/
http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/